ESL Impact Valencia hits playoffs

After facing off for the first Impact League title back in Dallas, Nigma Galaxy and FURIA fe seem headed for another final showdown in Valencia.

The group stage at the ESL Impact Valencia has come to an end after the first two days of play and it is headed for Sunday's playoffs, which will see the winner crowned and handed the $50,000 cheque.

It was no surprise that the ESL Impact League Finals 1 champions Nigma Galaxy dominated the competition in Group A, beating Mindfreak and BIG EQUIPA in quick matches, with Ana "⁠ANa⁠" Dumbravă and Ksenia "⁠vilga⁠" Kluenkova stealing the show by putting up 1.70 and 1.53 ratings across the two 16-6 maps.

Nigma Galaxy have yet to break a sweat in sunny Valencia

Polish squad NAVI Javelins clinched the second semi-final spot there, recovering from a close opening loss to BIG EQUIPA as they breezed past Mindfreak and beat the Portuguese team in a rematch after two overtime affairs in the decider.

Brazil may not have found success at the Challenger event in Valencia, with all four of their teams eliminated in the group stage, but in the women's tournament the South American country had both FURIA fe and MIBR fe advance to the playoffs from Group B.

The Brazilians left a big name and Dallas' top-four finishers CLG Red as well as the Norwegian-majority lineup around Aurora "⁠aurora⁠" Lyngdal, GODSENT fe, in the dust to move on to the bracket stage.

Here's how the bracket will play out on Sunday:

11:00 - Nigma Galaxy vs. MIBR fe
14:30 - FURIA fe vs. NAVI Javelins

18:00 - Grand final

Mindfreak #212 Caralina 'cAra' EangVivienne 'BiBiAhn' QuachEmily 'Emiinent' ReaAnn 'mish' FuentesEmily 'Emi' Lauw Time is adjusted to your selected timezone GODSENT fe Aurora 'aurora' LyngdalMarita 'Minnie' Siljan SørensenThea 'pullox' EvensenMayline-Joy 'ASTRA' ChampliaudAnna 'Ann4' Laurinoviča Ksenia 'vilga' Kluenkova Age: 30 Team: Nigma Galaxy Rating 1.0: 1.07 Maps played: 249 KPR: 0.74 DPR: 0.67 Ana 'ANa' Dumbravă Age: 23 Team: Nigma Galaxy Rating 1.0: 1.17 Maps played: 103 KPR: 0.78 DPR: 0.63 BIG EQUIPA #179 Aida 'Aidy' GarciaMarta 'D7' AsensioAna 'Zana' QueirozJennifer 'JennyR' Irina Brea RodriguezAida 'Aida' Simão FURIA fe #174 Olga 'Olga' RodriguesGabriela 'GaBi' MaldonadoIzabella 'izaa' GalleKarina 'kaahSENSEI' TakahashiMariana 'mari' Preste MIBR fe #222 Julieta 'khizha' GrilliaMariana 'LyttleZ' SabiaLuana 'Arkynha' ArchanjoJosiane 'josi' IzidorioBeatriz 'hera' Silva CLG Red #175 Diane 'di^' TranMounira 'GooseBreeder' DobieEmma 'Emy' ChoeJuliana 'Juli' TosicKelsie 'uhKelsie' Click Nigma Galaxy #141 Ksenia 'vilga' KluenkovaAna 'ANa' DumbravăVictoria 'tory' KazievaAlexandra 'twenty3' TimoninaKatarína 'Kat' Vašková NAVI Javelins #208 Karolina 'Liina' KasprzykWiktoria 'vicu' JanickaHania 'Hanka' PudlisDanuta 'Danuu' GrajkowskaAngelika 'Angelka' Kozłowska Aurora 'aurora' Lyngdal Age: 26 Team: GODSENT fe Rating 1.0: 0.85 Maps played: 88 KPR: 0.62 DPR: 0.75